B.C. man fighting to keep two pet cheetahs

A B.C. couple who own a pair of cheetahs in the West Kootenay are speaking to the Environmental Appeal Board this week, in hopes of getting back the right to own the African cats.

A five-day hearing is underway this week for Earl Pfeifer, who lives in Crawford Bay – one year after a decision made under the provincial Wildlife Act denied their application to possess the two cheetahs.

Pfeifer has owned the cheetahs for five years. Him and partner Carol Plato made international headlines back in 2015 when one of the animals escaped and was spotted roaming along a highway near Kootenay Bay.